NASA Awards RoGO Communications Contract to Enhance Aerial Firefighting Safety

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — RoGO Communications, a technology firm focused on first responder safety, announced on May 11, 2026, that it has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from NASA. The funding is designated for the development of advanced systems to improve the coordination between wildland firefighters on the ground and the aerial resources supporting them, a critical communication gap that has contributed to past tragedies. The contract will support the enhancement of RoGO’s existing “DropBlock” technology, a satellite-based communication platform designed to function in the remote, cellular-denied environments where over 90% of wildfire suppression efforts take place. The goal of the project, titled “GAS on Fire (Guided, Accurate Slurry drops on Fire),” is to prevent communication failures that can have lethal consequences during complex fire incidents. RoGO Communications was founded in direct response to the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona, where 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew were killed after being overrun by the blaze. According to reports from the incident, a miscommunicated airdrop of water mistakenly extinguished a controlled fire the crew had ignited to create a defensive safety zone. The company aims to prevent such events from recurring. “We founded our company to save lives of wildland firefighters, developing technology for firefighters to avoid being trapped by the spread of the fire,” said Rod Goossen, Chief Executive Officer of RoGO Communications, in a statement. “This contract allows us to better integrate support from aerial resources for enhanced safety of firefighters.” The company’s core technology, the DropBlock, is a portable, lightweight satellite-enabled device that provides three key functions for crews on the fire line. First, it offers GPS tracking for all personnel and equipment, from individual firefighters to bulldozers and water tenders. Second, it transmits critical, real-time fire weather data directly to crews. Third, it enables point-to-point text communication for tactical coordination where no other service exists. This system effectively pushes the high-level situational awareness typically confined to an incident command post down to the front-line responders who need it most. The new NASA funding will allow RoGO to build upon this platform to create “DropBlock 2.0,” which will integrate features specifically for aerial firefighting. According to the company’s proposal, the enhancements will include software to help guide more accurate drops of water or fire retardant, accounting for factors like wind drift. Most critically, the system will feature a function allowing ground crews to transmit a direct “All Clear” signal to pilots, confirming that all personnel are safely out of a drop zone before a release is made. This technology is not merely conceptual. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) tested RoGO’s system with its crews in 2023. “We implemented it with 13 of our hand crews,” said Tiffany Davila, a public affairs officer for the agency. Davila noted that the technology is “another very important tool in their toolbox that could save lives.” The SBIR program is a competitive federal initiative that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in research and development with the potential for commercialization. For companies like RoGO, which are developing specialized hardware for government and public safety markets, these contracts provide a vital source of non-dilutive capital. The funding validates the technical approach and helps bridge the gap between prototype and a market-ready product. For technology companies developing specialized hardware, federal programs like the SBIR grants awarded to RoGO are a critical, and often overlooked, funding channel. Unlike traditional venture capital that can be hesitant to fund long-development-cycle physical products, non-dilutive funding from agencies like NASA provides essential capital without forcing founders to give up equity. It also serves as a powerful third-party validation of the technology's viability, which can de-risk the company for future private investors. We've seen many businesses in complex sectors struggle to articulate their value proposition in a way that secures this type of foundational support. Navigating the intricate application and compliance requirements is a specialized skill. This is a core part of the capital raising and investor strategy services we provide at C&S Finance Group LLC. We help businesses identify and secure these opportunities to build a strong financial base for growth. Business owners can learn more at csfinancegroup.com. With the Phase II contract secured, RoGO will proceed with a 24-month period of development and testing. The company plans to build and trial the enhanced DropBlock 2.0 devices in real-world settings with its network of wildland firefighting contacts. Successful deployment could position the technology for wider adoption by federal, state, and local agencies as they seek to better equip firefighters for increasingly intense and dangerous wildfire seasons.